Folding Bikes - As is ? Restore it? Hot Rod it?

1964 Moulton, what would you do?,,clean/grease and ride? complete resto or drop bars/racing saddle and maybe single speed?

Looks like a resto job. Hot-rodding - I don't know. I would go the SesameCrunch way - the paintwork is rather far gone.

From the looks of this bike, I assume this is not the Moulton you posted about before? Because I was under the impression that one was in mint condition, whereas this one is obviously well-used.

Yes, I vote for restoration also... They clean up nicely, and the original design is such a classic.

I vote to restore it the best you can. Otherwise, hot rod it. :)

Looks like a resto job. Hot-rodding - I don't know. I would go the SesameCrunch way - the paintwork is rather far gone.

From the looks of this bike, I assume this is not the Moulton you posted about before? Because I was under the impression that one was in mint condition, whereas this one is obviously well-used.
yep jur this is it:D B-I-G misunderstanding about in the "box" it was in a shipping box from the seller!:D

If in doubt....keep it original !

If in doubt....keep it original !nice Moultons in your photostream!

nice Moultons in your photostream!



Many thanks....keep looking in for more unique moultons..k

NICE !!i hope Moultonguy don't mine me using this pic,really enjoyed the story & history on the bike below:rolleyes:it makes me wish some more people would vote hot rod:lol:

restore :)

If you don't have the fenders, I'm going to have to vote hot rod. I'd suggest an IG hub with a hub brake. Seems to me if Alex Moulton had had the new Sturmey Archer 325% hub would he have used it.

NICE !!i hope Moultonguy don't mine me using this pic,really enjoyed the story & history on the bike below:rolleyes:it makes me wish some more people would vote hot rod:lol:


If you enjoyed reading that, then you are almost guaranteed to like this one ?

http://www.moultoneers.info/bikes/peter-lea-s-speedsix/


ken

GREAT! READING:rolleyes: old racing bikes with a history are like old racecars with a history,i know that feeling due to i had a old 55 chevy drag car from the late 1960's that won a ton of races and feature in a magazine,they, like the bikes just bring out great stories!

If you don't have the fenders, I'm going to have to vote hot rod. I'd suggest an IG hub with a hub brake. Seems to me if Alex Moulton had had the new Sturmey Archer 325% hub would he have used it.

I dunno... internal gears and hot rods just don't go together, IMHO.

Everyone restores - so hotrod it!
(For my money far too many Moulton's go to Japan to become museum pieces, or kept stock because of strange provincial british purism.

They aren't rare to the point it's 'sacrelege' to modify them, so I say go mad and make it modern, light and FAST!

Skinny fast wheels:
2x Velocity Aeroheat 349x25mm rims;
2x Pr1mo Champ racing wheelchair tyres;

Frame:
Bathe it in acid to lose a little weight ;)
Clean up welds/brazing, polish then get clear-coated.

Drive:
Get a 60+ tooth chainwheel and Campag record gruppo.

Accessories:
Polished Nitto track *everything*.

clean/grease and ride

Clearly this is what you do:

1. Clean/grease ride as is, while you mull on what to do.

2. Fix up the paintwork with shiny new powdercoat, while you mull what hot-rodding might fit such a bike (ie Nitto everything.)

3. Go Nitto crazy, and do the SS with other bits in careful storage.

Options galore! :) Hotrod it, these options are seldom irreversible.

To me it's a no brainer. Hot Rod! If it were a Speed 6 or other rare model it would be worth putting plenty of time and money into a restoration. But with a bike as common as this one it wouldn't be worth restoring unless it were more complete and in better shape.

Besides, the purpose of a bike is to be ridden and hot rods (and Speed 6s) are more fun.


I dunno... internal gears and hot rods just don't go together, IMHO.Depends on the hub. An old SA AM, AC, FM or FC could be pretty racy.

MOULTONGUY----Ken, your yellow '65 SpeedSix looks fast standing still:love:,what's your story on it?

tt- I vote for clean, grease & ride it.... get to know it. After you get to know it better, then you can decide whether to rod it.

RE my earlier comment. Something like this seems to express the bulk of what I meant (this being a mk 3 version but you get the idea:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/23/41107556_c20c602382_o.jpg

MOULTONGUY----Ken, your yellow '65 SpeedSix looks fast standing still:love:,what's your story on it?

The speedsix was the bike I always wanted as a youth , so being interested in Moultons and commuting on a Mk3 I used the insurance money from the theft of a mountain bike to buy one.
The first thing I did was to write an ad for the sales list of the Moulton Bicycle Club wanted section, but imagine my surprise when the guy who still runs the list phoned me at his own expense with news of one for sale!
The speedsix was on the south coast and the young man who had it had saved it from some mates who intended to wreck it off road!
The bike was complete and totally original even down to the old DUNLOP high pressure tyres and special saddle.

The bike was a bargain and a quarter of what I had budgetted for the rare machine...this was a decade ago and before ebay and the jump in prices.

My next special bike was the S safari which is like a luxury equipped speedsix and then chromed!!

I recommend the Moulton Bicycle club to anyone interested in Moultons of all ages and they take PAYPAL now so joining should be easy...k

Great story M.G........the hot rod votes are catching up!!,,i'll go out to the garage and throw some "hot rod" parts on it ,,and snap some pic's ,i did order some PRIMO 16 X1 3/8 high pressure tires (100psi)today,,(Thanks to Little Pixels hint!)WOW,THE HOT RODS ARE ONLY 6 Percent behind!!!!

RE my earlier comment. Something like this seems to express the bulk of what I meant (this being a mk 3 version but you get the idea:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/23/41107556_c20c602382_o.jpg
What ARE these tyres?? I can hardly see them.

That bike has certainly had major mods. The forks look custom made. In fact only the frame looks sorta original.

TT: Hotrod it, but see if you can get by without any frame mods. But it would be nice if you could remove some of that back bracing - bolts or welded?

that bike is awsome,i believe it is factory racer ?Moultonguy's photostream goes into detail on some racer's,some company back then did do after market racing arms,forks,etc,as far as the rear bracing it would have to be cut and shorted and welded,,YIKES!,i think i'll keep it for longer hauls so i can throw a trunk on there,plus it's good for hauling a 6-pack:D heres a updated pic

Hi, The Mk3 bike is not a factory racer, but it was certainly beautifully built by a craftsman....the bike is now in Japan !

Hi, The Mk3 bike is not a factory racer, but it was certainly beautifully built by a craftsman....the bike is now in Japan !Is there a so-called Factory racer or would the owner just cut-down & modifiy the rear section ,and add the aftermarket arms,wheels etc.?

Do you mean in the sixties ?

The only competition model available was the moulton speedsix (unless you count the S safari touring model which has the same removeable rack ).

Works racing machines as early as 1962 used the lopped off tail, but were never sold to the public.

The plug-in rack
was to enable the club rider to ride to the time trial or similar event fully loaded, then strip the bike for action !
A wide range of racing accessories, including sprint rims/tubs, large chainrings etc were available.

The next important step came in 1966 when the factory planned a "works" moulton race team using the 531 framed short wheelbase moulton S speed. Sadly this did not reach fruition as Alex Moulton sold out to Raleigh .

Development continued at Bradford on Avon thru the seventies and eighties ( and even today) and the spaceframe bikes were sometimes available as framesets tuned to the competition riders needs.

Bikes such as the speed S have done well in competition.

The latest new series bikes continue the race pedigree.

Hope this answers your question?..k

THANKS M.G.,,,,yep i was wondering about the ones in the 60's,and it answered alot of questions:thumb:,,i was wondering about the rack mostly,which you stated was removeable once they got to the race,.thanks again, for all your information on these machines!

Of course your Huffy Moulton has what we would consider the "export" style tail and short plug in rack....this was used on later "home market" Moultons.
The original UK model had a non removeable tail and rack..untill the advent in 65 of the speedsix, where the entire tail aft of the seat tube is removeable.
Bit confusing but study the photostream pics..
As a bonus on your bike the welded in supports make for a slightly stiffer seat tube, a feature that was taken advantage of by some competition riders !

Now I want one!

new pic's ----still need to weld on step-up for rear rack,install chain,also install cable for 4-speed hub,updates include PRIMO COMET tires 16x1 3/8,,aluminium seat post with SAN MARCO saddle,,aluminium stem & MODOLO ANATOMIC BIND bars,& SUNLITE AERO brake levers with new cables,looks like it's leaning toward the Hot Rod look.?

it's looking very special already... Nice!

Wow... very nice already!

thanks guys! it's been a fun project,i'll ride it in this configution for awhile, then take it all back apart for paint in a few months.